Shadow IT Use, Outcome Effects, and Subjective Performance Evaluation

Using shadow IT may be seen as either a form of organizational misbehavior or proactive and creative problem-solving. These perceptions have implications for the subjective evaluation of subordinate performance. In our experiment, participants choose whether to award a bonus to an employee when different IT systems are used across different outcome levels. We find that employees using shadow IT are less likely to receive the bonus in both high and low outcome conditions relative to employees using the normal IT system, suggesting that managers consider shadow IT usage an organizational misbehavior which casts a negative light on employee performance

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SOUTHERN FORESTS

A multiperiod regional mathematical programming model is used to evaluate the potential economic impacts of global climatic change on the southern U.S. forestry sector. Scenarios for forest biological response to climate change are developed for small and large changes in forest growth rates. Resulting changes in timber supply have economic impacts on producers and consumers in forest products markets, both nationally and regionally. Conclusions include outer dimensions of global climate change impacts and potential effects of smaller biological responses on the forestry sector both nationally and in the U.S. South. Relative impacts are found to be larger for producers than for consumers, and southern producers experience relatively greater changes in economic welfare.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Factors Influencing Selection of Information Sources by Cotton Producers Considering Adoption of Precision Agriculture Technologies

Acknowledgements: The authors thank Cotton Incorporated and the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station for financial supportInformation source use decisions, Precision Agriculture Technologies, Extension, Media, Private sources, Multivariate Probit, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession, Q12, Q16,

Factors Influencing the Selection of Precision Farming Information Sources by Cotton Producers

Precision farming information demanded by cotton producers is provided by various suppliers, including consultants, farm input dealerships, University Extension systems, and media sources. Factors associated with the decisions to select among information sources to search for precision farming information are analyzed using a multivariate probit regression accounting for correlation among the different selection decisions. Factors influencing these decisions are age, education, and income. These findings should be valuable to precision farming information providers who may be able to better meet their target clientele needs.Extension, information-source-use decisions, media, multivariate probit, precision agriculture technologies, private sources, Farm Management, Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Factors Influencing Adoption of Remotely Sensed Imagery for Site-Specific Management in Cotton Production

This research evaluated the factors that influenced cotton producers to adopt remote sensing for variable rate application of inputs. Farmers who were younger, more highly educated, had a larger farm operation, and were more technologically savvy were more likely to have adopted remote sensing.Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Effect of Daily Fluctuations from Flaming Gorge Dam on Ice Processes in the Green River

This report provides results and conclusions of a detailed investigation of ice processes in the main channel of the reach of the Green River between the downstream end of Split Mountain (River Mile [RM1] 320) and the Ouray, Utah Bridge (R.M248). The objective of the study was to examine the influence of daily fluctuations in water releases from Flaming Gorge Damon river ice processes in this reach, which serves as an overwintering area for endangered Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. The objective of the study was met through examination of historical records of winter water and air temperatures, flow measurements, and ice observations; through measurements of differences in ice conditions under steady and fluctuating flow regimes; and through calibration and use of an ice process model to compare hydraulic and ice conditions expected under steady and fluctuating flow regimes

A Binary Logit Estimation of Factors Affecting Adoption of GPS Guidance Systems by Cotton Producers

Binary logit analysis was used to identify the factors influencing adoption of Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance systems by cotton farmers in 11 Mid-south and Southeastern states. Results indicate that adoption was more likely by those who had already adopted other precision-farming practices and had used computers for farm management. In addition, younger and more affluent farmers were more likely to adopt. Farmers with larger farms and with relatively high yields were also more likely to adopt. Education was not a significant factor in a farmer’s decision to adopt GPS guidance systems.binary logit, cotton, GPS guidance system, marginal effect, precision farming, technology adoption, Agribusiness, Crop Production/Industries, Q2, Q16, Q19, Q20, Q24,

Retinoids regulate TGFβ signaling at the level of Smad2 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation

AbstractIndirect regulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling by retinoids occurs on a long-term timescale, secondary to transcriptional events. Studies by our group show loss of retinoid X receptor (RXR) alpha results in increased TGFβ2 in the midgestational heart, which may play a role in the cardiac defects seen in this model [S.W. Kubalak, D.R. Hutson, K.K. Scott and R.A. Shannon, Elevated transforming growth factor beta2 enhances apoptosis and contributes to abnormal outflow tract and aortic sac development in retinoic X receptor alpha knockout embryos, Development 129 (2002) 733–746.]. Acute and direct interactions between retinoid and TGFβ signaling, however, are not clearly understood. Treatment of dispersed hearts and NIH3T3 cells for 1 h with TGFβ and retinoids (dual treatment) resulted in increased phosphorylated Smad2 and Smad3 when compared to treatment with TGFβ alone. Of all dual treatments, those with the RXR agonist Bexarotene, resulted in the highest level of phosphorylated Smad2, a 7-fold increase over TGFβ2 alone. Additionally, during dual treatment phosphorylation of Smad2 occurs via the TGFβ type I receptor but not by increased activation of the receptor. As loss of RXRα results in increased levels of Smad2 phosphorylation in response to TGFβ treatment and since nuclear accumulation of phosphorylated Smad2 is decreased during dual treatment, we propose that RXRα directly regulates the activities of Smad2. These data show retinoid signaling influences the TGFβ pathway in an acute and direct manner that has been unappreciated until now

Precision Farming by Cotton Producers in Six Southern States: Results from the 2001 Southern Precision Farming Survey

Precision Farming by Cotton Producers in Six Southern States: Results from the 2001 Southern Precision Farming Surveycotton, precision farming, survey, Agribusiness, Farm Management, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Initial Results of a Prospective Study of Adjuvant Pancreatic Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Close or Positive Margins

Purpose: Patients with close or positive margins after surgery for pancreatic carcinoma are at a high risk for recurrence. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) allows for safe dose escalation with great conformity and short duration of treatment. Herein, we report the initial results of a prospective observational study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of this treatment option. Methods and Materials: Patients eligible for the study had pathologically proven T1-4N0-1M0 pancreatic adenocarcinoma with a positive margin (≤ 1 mm) or a close margin defined as \u3c 2.5 mm. Patients were treated with either neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy, if eligible for systemic therapy. All patients received 36 Gy in 3 fractions to the close or positive margin site. Results: From February 2013 to January 2018, 50 patients were enrolled with 49 patients treated on protocol and included in the analysis. The median age was 71 years. The median clinical target volume was 11.3 cc and median planning target volume 22.0 cc. The median overall survival was 23.7 months (95% confidence interval, 13.6-33.8). Local progression-free survival at 1 and 2 years was 85% and 77%, respectively. Regional progression-free survival at 1 and 2 years was 73% and 73%, respectively. Distant metastases-free survival was 57% and 49% at 1 and 2 years, respectively. Grade 3+ radiation toxicity was only 4.1% and occurred in 2 patients. Conclusions: Adjuvant pancreatic SBRT was shown to be a safe and feasible treatment option for patients with high-risk pancreatic adenocarcinoma and close or positive margins. This is the first prospective study of SBRT in high-risk postoperative pancreatic cancer. Our results yielded significant local and regional control with low rates of acute toxicity. This technique does not interrupt the administration of systemically dosed multiagent chemotherapy and can be safely interdigitated between cycles because SBRT is only 1 week of treatment